But then, I think Jerry Rasmussen will tell you how wonderful the American Baptists have been for him, so it's hard to tie down who's who. Jimmy Carter has been a Southern Baptist, but he has been strongly critical of them - as I am strongly critical about many things in my Catholic Church.

Most Sundays, I have a wonderful time, but sometimes I get pissed off. Friday, I had a great time playing Scrabble with a wonderful nun, and Saturday I got pissed off at a nun who was as inconsiderate as she usually is. And Sunday, the choir director was bitchy but nice later, and I had a great time hanging out with a bunch od old people and working with some young people, and the priest who is usually a pain in the ass wasn't so bad this time. Sounds like real life, doesn't it?

This whole sex abuse issue has never been easy for me to sort out. No, it shouldn't happen in a church, but the ugly reality is, that it does. I haven't figured out yet how to deal with it. But it's still there, and it's still ugly.

But every Friday, I play Scrabble with an 87-yr-old Mercy nun, and it's always wonderful and I love that woman with all my heart. And every Sunday, I sing my little heart out at Mass With a choir that has too many Trump supporters in the men's section and a lot of brilliant women who don't like Trump. And then I spend time with a lot of people I love. And the sex abuse scandal seems very far away, although I know it's still there.